PROJECT DATSUN ARMENIA

[Lankytim]

Vic says last time he heard, Nissan themselves were doing a special cut price deal on timing chain swaps for this and the K11 Micra. Might be worth asking.

 

 

TBH I don't think they'd be interested in a 12 year old 130k Almera, plus even if they did I don't think they'd be talking my language price-wise

[Lankytim]

WHOOP WHOOP SHITTERZ!

 

Took the CAT to work today and managed to chat up a maintenance guy at an engineering firm sufficiently for him to take a look at it. 20 mins later and he had the snapped bolts out and retapped. Props to PNJ engineering in Alcester!

 

 

Unfortunately I need these odd high tensile M10 x1.25 bolts which, after a rummage through my box of random shite in the garage I managed to find, except they look a bit too short, and aren't high tensile, so I'm not sure what will happen when they get really hot when the engine's running. They're cheap on ebay so I may just bite the bullet and buy the pukka items.

 

 

 

I have gaskets on order so hopefully the CAT and manifold will be fitted this week and we can get ready for an MOT!

[Kiltox]

good to know that even a basic Japanese petrol engine can still have a single fairly fundamental weakness, it gives me a sort of warm feeling that the age of shite is far from over

Lead to believe the chains or at least the guides / tensioners are very Renault

[Barry Cade]

The timing chain stretch was blamed on missed oil changes by Nissan to get out of warranty claims, they reckoned late changes caused acid in the oil which over pressurised the tensioner and stretched the chain. I've heard of a Micra needing a chain at 14k which wasn't covered on the warranty as it was late with It's 10k service. I think it's just an old fashioned design fault that causes it. As has been said, later cars don't seem to be as bad and use a different chain.

Next door neigbour's 61 plate 51k Micra is just back from the Nissan dealer after chain replacement. It had a 3 year servicing package with said dealer... but no stamps in the book even though it was taken for service every year..

[Lacquer Peel]

What is point timing chains that are easily outlived by belts?

[Barry Cade]

Was shocked not long ago that some belts run immersed in oil...

[Lankytim]

There is NO POINT in chains that are outlived by belts.

 

Got the exhaust manifold and cat fitted tonight after a box arrived from ECP (i'm sure it's not just me that gets excited by boxes of cars parts!) It all fitted up easily and doesn't leak. success!

 

I took it for a spin up and down our long shared drive to see what it was like. It drives like cack tbh. The engine idles and runs fine but has a big flat spot when it's under load and occasionally pops a little from the exhaust. I'm hoping it's just because it's been run with a few sensors unplugged and will improve if it's left with the battery disconnected overnight. Of course, it could well be the dreaded timing chain that's life expired that's annoying the engine. No biggie if it needs changing!

 

A rear spring should be here tomorrow, but the front end feels soggy so it looks like it's going to need a pair of front shocks afterall. A loud rattle has appeared under the front of the car which Blackbart thinks is the ARB. It's too dark to check at the moment. 

 

It's all enjoyable tinkering I guess, and parts are cheap and easy to fit. It should be a great car when it's finally on the road as most of it will be new!

[Lankytim]

Whoop whoop everyone!

 

Today  managed to steal a couple of hours to tinker and changed the broken rear spring which seemed to level up the whole car a bit and somehow the front suspension seems much better for it, plus less spongy.

 

I also chanced buying a crank sensor to see if it extinguished the EML and made the car drive better. after a bit of blind fiddling behind the engine I had the new sensor slotted in and plugged in. The engine fired straight up and ran great and the EML even went off. Success! Unfortunately it still felt pretty gutless to drive and after turning the engine off and restarting the EML came back on. FFS. I'll deffo need a new chain then. Not the end of the world, as when it's done I won't need to worry about it again.

 

Next step is the front anti-roll bar bushes as they seem to have half vanished and there's a tremendous clanking from the underside . 

[Spottedlaurel]

Got to admire your perseverance with this thing, it's more than I'd be doing.

[Lankytim]

I knew someone would say that, encouragement people, that's what I need right now.

[blackbart]

hi tim, it's great to see your trying to keep her alive mate,in all fairness ,apart from the sump, it always started first time, and ran pretty well. but when the sump went and with xmas and mot looming, i just parked it up and bought another cheap car to tide me over.

i hope it's definately not the chain that's stretched like you say. i don't know how easy/cheap the chain would be to replace, hopefully it's not a pig of a job.

i'll keep my eye on the thread and hopefully the mot goes well.

all the best.

[Lacquer Peel]

Good work saving an unloved car from the scrapper. Do you want the A*t*d*t* guide for doing the chain? It looks straightforward.

The timing chain kit is cheaper than some timing belt kits!

[blackbart]

Good work saving an unloved car from the scrapper. Do you want the A*t*d*t* guide for doing the chain? It looks straightforward.

The timing chain kit is cheaper than some timing belt kits

glad to hear it's not too hard or expensive a job then.

[Pillock]

In my head, when I hear "Stretched chain" I automatically think of removing a link and popping the rivet back in. I'm assuming it's not that easy?

 

Can you get a VTEC effect by bunging a Sturmey-Archer three speed into the tensioner?

[Lankytim]

Apparently the chain is pretty easy to do, the hardest part being removing the sump! I think the chain is practically a consumable on these so it's no big deal. 

 

I've given it a wash and got on my hands and knees to carefully scrub the wheels, it's come up really well. 

 

It's already VVC (apparently) so a sturmey archer 3 speeder built into the end of the crank pulley should give it a useful "turbo boost" effect when delivering curries on a Saturday night.I could have a raleigh chopper gear lever on the dash marked KORMA, CHICKEN BALTI and  MAX TURBO ROGAN JOSH.

[HH-R]

My Micra's chain was fine at 80something k when I got rid of it, I think 5k oil changes are the key to longevity.

[stuboy]

gs got a 2001 tino 1.8 and it keeps stalling cutting out... change fuel pump, icv, checked all breather pipes, replaced bot lambda sensors read the codes and says threashold readings too low on catalyst, so sourcing 2nd hand one

 

POS

[UltraWomble]

My 1500 Almera isnt blisteringly rapid, but it runs well enough - TBH, it just feels like a grown up 998cc Micra in terms of performance.

Shame I cant get more than 38MPG out of it though.

[HH-R]

My 1500 Almera isnt blisteringly rapid, but it runs well enough - TBH, it just feels like a grown up 998cc Micra in terms of performance.

Shame I cant get more than 38MPG out of it though.

 

Every time I get into my SiL's Almera I think how much the clunk of the doors sound like a K11!

[Lankytim]

Good work saving an unloved car from the scrapper. Do you want the A*t*d*t* guide for doing the chain? It looks straightforward.

 

 

The timing chain kit is cheaper than some timing belt kits!

Yes plz!

[Barry Cade]

In my experience with stretched Nissan chains, they are a bugger to start long before the real driveability problems become apparent. Get a good code reader on it- if it comes up with cam/crank signals incoherent, then you will have a chain issue, if not then I'd look elsewhere. Lambda sensors really mess up the performance on these. Get the codes read man!

[Lankytim]

I think it came up with crank sensor when Blackbart had the codes read. To be fair it starts first turn of the key. If you run it for 2 mins then try and restart it often wont. I think it's flooding.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

Its gonna be awesome when its done!!!!

[Lankytim]

Well, prepare to be awesomed! Tonight i've swapped the cam sensor with the old crank sensor and it's running a treat, no eml light and pulls fine. Also appears to be restarting without issue too. Tyres and ARB bushes are on order, then it's MOT time.

[Lankytim]

This is going for MOT this week, although I couldn't replace the ARB bushes as I couldn't move any of the four bolts to get the bar off and I have a set of four BRAND NEW tyres to be fitted. All this will be entrusted to the garage doing the MOT. The tyres are NEXEN and came from Tyre Leader, this is the first time I've bought a full set of new tyres, I usually just use part worns but recently decent part worns have been hard to find and and new tyres seem to be so cheap nowadays it makes sense to go down this route.

 

Fingers crossed the MOT man has had sex that morning!

[Mr_Bo11ox]

 

Fingers crossed the MOT man has had sex that morning!

Let me make a few phone calls for you

[Barry Cade]

Let me make a few phone calls for you

Do you offer this service to any MOT man?

[Lankytim]

Oh, I need a gear knob and parcel shelf if anybody knows to one of these dumped in poundstretcher car park somewhere

[Lankytim]

 

BOOM!

 

Needed the handbrake adjusting and a numberplate light, no advisories either!

[Mr_Bo11ox]

oooosssshhhhhh!!!!